ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana? Jasprit Bumrah's replacement picked
Published - 19 Feb 2025, 11:02 AM | Updated - 19 Feb 2025, 11:34 PM
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Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has backed Arshdeep Singh as India's best choice to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. With Bumrah ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury, the focus has shifted to who will partner Mohammed Shami in India’s pace attack.
However, the Indian selectors have named Harshit Rana as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad, but Ricky Ponting believes that Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm angle gives India the edge they need in the prestigious tournament.
Ricky Ponting picks Arshdeep Singh as India’s best bet to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The former Australian captain and new Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach has further pointed out that Arshdeep Singh's ability to swing the new ball and deliver under pressure in the death overs makes the Punjab lad a strong contender to take Bumrah’s place in India’s XI at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Ricky Ponting said on ICC: “I would go with the left arm, and I'd go with Arshdeep (to replace Bumrah). We know how good he's been in T20 cricket, and if you think about the skill set, he probably provides a similar skill set to what Bumrah does with the new ball and death overs, and that's what India will miss.”
However, Ponting acknowledged Harshit Rana’s potential with the new ball, but his effectiveness in crunch moments remains a question. The Australian great feels Arshdeep’s left-arm variation would be a key asset for the Men in Blue, considering a lot of right-handers at the top on the rivals’ side.
Harshit Rana's death skills are not as good as what Arshdeep Singh’s are: Ricky Ponting
Ponting further explained, “That's taking nothing away from Harshit Rana because I think he has got a lot of talent, and we know what he can do with the new ball, but I don't think his death skills are as good as what Arshdeep Singh’s are.”
He signed off by saying, “And just that left-arm variation, someone that can bowl left-arm with a new ball and move the new ball. We know how important they are and how crucial they can be, especially in big tournaments when you've got a lot of right-handers at the top. I would personally lean that way if I were India.”
Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team will start their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The tournament, featuring the top eight teams, is all set to begin on Wednesday, February 19, with hosts Pakistan facing New Zealand in the opener in Karachi.
Read Also: IND vs BAN Weather Report And Pitch Report Of Dubai- ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 2
India banks on their rich ICC Champions Trophy history
Notably, the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy will run for 19 days, with the final scheduled on March 9. Cricket fans across the world can watch the tournament live in 16 digital feeds across nine languages for the first time ever.
On the other hand, India has a rich history in the ICC Champions Trophy, winning the title twice and reaching the final four times in the eight editions of the tournament. This tournament was earlier known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy, and later it was renamed in 2002.
